1. Field of the Invention
The present invention, in general relates to paper plates and, more particularly, a leak-proof serving tray that is formed of flat stock and which assembles into a three-dimensional tray.
Serving trays are well known. Variations include serving trays that are folded from a flat sheet into a substantially three-dimensional structure. Some are shipped as flat stock and assembled during use while other types are assembled during manufacture, stacked on top of each other, and shipped in a ready-to-use manner. Those that are assembled during manufacture typically require gluing or stapling of one member to another member in order to secure the tray in the desired assembled configuration. Such assembly can be performed faster and easier if done by the manufacturer as opposed to the end-user.
These types of serving trays are often used in the food service industry to contain food that is to be consumed. They are typically discarded after a single use.
For example, these prior devices often form a simple tray with vertical sides and open top when folded open. They are used for a variety of purposes, some of which include holding French Fries, hamburgers, hot dogs, and other typical fast food items but not a drink cup or can. They are used in ball parks and by various food vendors.
While useful, there are needs that all known prior types of devices fail to satisfy. For example, the prior known folding serving trays either cannot or have great difficulty simultaneously holding a beverage. This is because a beverage is heavy and the thin cardboard (i.e., fiberboard) used for such construction fails to support the beverage which can tilt and spill as the support fails. A hot beverage that is spilled on a person can cause injury which is a liability risk.
Also, beverages typically come in a variety of differently sized cylindrical containers, for example, soda cans, individual cups, coffee cups, etc. Some of these include a tapered diameter and therefore are substantially frusta-conical in shape. There has been no reliable, safe, and convenient way to securely house a great many of the different sizes and styles of beverage containers.
Additionally, when a beverage is added to a prior art type of serving tray a resultant change in the center of gravity is apt to make the prior art serving tray unstable and likely to tip over.
Additionally, there is a need, at times, to hold upright odd-shaped containers, for example, French-fries or unusually shaped beverage containers and the like so they do not spill. The need to hold an odd-shaped container upright can occur in place of a beverage or along with the need to also secure a beverage.
Another important need relates to leakage. It is preferable to satisfy certain of the above ideals in a container that is also leak-proof for a limited period of time. Food items will spill or splash when carried, regardless of how well a carrying tray secures the items. This is due to the general instability of the human hand. Also, when in crowded areas, for example, at fairs, public gatherings, ball parks, etc., people bump into one-another as a normal course of events. This bumping and jostling can cause the contents in any tray to spill or splash over.
At present, when this happens fluids will leak through the bottom corners and drip on the user, soiling his garments. Almost any fluid can spill. Even ketchup and other more viscous fluids can flow in hot weather or be thinned by other beverages.
If a second beverage is required, it is also desirable to be able to secure the second beverage in the tray.
An especially important need that has not been satisfied with prior art types of serving trays is to be able to transport a beverage and dispose the beverage in or adjacent to the serving tray while, at the same time, providing a covering over any food items that are disposed in the serving tray.
For example, soda cans include a constant outside diameter along their length. They, therefore, cannot be supported by a mere opening that includes a slightly larger diameter than that of the soda can. By way of comparison, a tapered beverage container can be placed in a larger diameter opening into which it will descend and be supported by the structure that surrounds the opening.
Accordingly, in order to support the soda can it must be placed inside the serving tray so that a bottom of the soda can is supported by a bottom panel of the serving tray. To accomplish this, certain of the corner flaps must be left open whenever the soda can is disposed in the serving tray. This permits dirt, dust, and other environmental contaminants to potentially come in contact with the food items that are in the serving tray adjacent to the soda can.
The potential for contamination and illness increases by the use of prior art serving trays in this manner. This can result in physical harm and even in legal action being taken against the company that is serving food in unsealed containers.
Even more so, the general consuming public has long desired to be able to transport a soda can or other type of beverage container while, at the same time, providing a covering over the food items in the serving tray that effectively keeps contaminants from contacting the food items. The general consuming public would feel better about eating their food if they knew it was kept of possible contamination.
Additionally, increasingly strict government regulations by national, state, and local governing bodies are requiring that measures be taken to ensure that food items are not contaminated prior to their consumption.
Accordingly, there exists today a need for a closable serving tray with beverage holder that helps ameliorate the above-mentioned difficulties.
Clearly, such an apparatus would be a useful and desirable device.
2. Description of Prior Art
Paper serving trays are, in general, known. For example, the following patents describe various types of these devices:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,719,192 to Barcat et al., that issued on Apr. 13, 2004;
U.S. Pat. No. 6,422,453 to Wang, that issued on Jul. 23, 2002;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,241 to Correll, that issued on Aug. 27, 1996;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,814 to Davis, that issued on Jun. 11, 1996;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,981,217 to Lim, that issued on Jan. 1, 1991;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,257 to Wood, that issued on May 23, 1989;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,583 to Noon, that issued on Aug. 11, 1987;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,475 to D'Elia, that issued on Dec. 21, 1982;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,260,098 to Manizza et al., that issued on Apr. 7, 1981;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,114,797 to Manizza, that issued on Sep. 19, 1978;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,293 to Stramaglia, that issued on Oct. 25, 1977;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,675 to Andersson et al., that issued on Apr. 26, 1977;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,669,340 to Kinney, that issued on Jun. 13, 1972;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,386,644 to Zackheim, that issued on Jun. 4, 1968;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,226,006 to Dunn, that issued on Dec. 28, 1965;
U.S. Pat. No. 2,942,769 to Kuchenbecker, that issued on Jun. 28, 1960;
U.S. Pat. No. 2,719,414 to Davis, that issued on Oct. 4, 1955;
U.S. Pat. No. 2,640,589 to Foster et al., that issued on Jun. 2, 1953;
U.S. Pat. No. 2,485,704 to Cranshaw, that issued on Oct. 25, 1949;
and French Patent Publication No. 2,685,906 to Denis, that was filed on Jan. 7, 1992.
While the structural arrangements of the above described devices may, at first appearance, have similarities with the present invention, they differ in material respects. These differences, which will be described in more detail hereinafter, are essential for the effective use of the invention and which admit of the advantages that are not available with the prior devices.